Yousuf Raza Gilani appeals Karachi to stay calm

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Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday appealed to the people from all walks of life to play their role in maintaining peace and security in Karachi.

Addressing a reception in honour of Special Athletes, who won medals in the Special Olympics held in Athens, the Prime Minister said: "Peace in Karachi is very important and every one should play part in maintaining peace in the city called mini-Pakistan."

"I appeal to every one living in Karachi that they should play due role and contribute positively in maintaining peace at Karachi to strengthen the city and the country," said the Prime Minister.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik confirmed that incidents of firing and grenade attacks have killed 85 people this week. The Interior Minister also suspected hands of Taliban militants as well as land and drug mafias in the unrest.

Presiding over a high level meeting of top police officers in Karachi, he said that Taliban militants were spotted in Katti Pahari, one of the troubled areas. "We have traced Taliban through satellite images," the Interior Minister said.

He announced that 1000 fresh force of militia ‘Frontier Constabulary’ (FC) will be deployed to quell the miscreants. He said the first contingent of 250 militiamen would take position on Friday. He also hinted to deploy the army if required.

The FC will be deployed as the public and rival groups have blamed the police and paramilitary force 'rangers' for failure to restore peace. There was no let up and the violence claimed several lives today also and life was paralysed as the MQM had declared mourning over the deaths, residents said.

The Mutahida Qaumi Movement, MQM, the powerful ethnic group of Urdu-speaking people, and the ethnic Pashtun group 'Awami National Party' (ANP) accuse each other of attacking their supporters.

Gilani said peace in the country and especially at Karachi was very important for the economic development of the country and for this mini-Pakistan, where people from all walks and from all the provinces were working. The Prime Minister said the city of Karachi offers a number of opportunities for every one from all over the country and provides opportunities to earn bread and butter to every one without discrimination.

The disturbances have brought this city of nearly 17 million to a standstill, resulting in heavy losses to business and industrial activity. Local traders and business associations say that violence has led to the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars, placing pressure on Pakistan's already beleaguered economy.

Karachi provides 70 per cent of the total annual tax revenue collected by the government and traders say that one day strike causes losses of some Pak Rs10 billion. The authorities have ordered shoot-at-sight order in views of the deteriorating law and order, police said.

The police and paramilitary forces have been given more powers to effectively deal with the miscreants.